GB1261476A - Hay-making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1,261,476. Haymaking machines. MASCHINENFABRIK FAHR. AG. 20 July, 1970 [7 Aug., 1969], No. 35087/70. Heading A1F. A hay-making machine comprising one or more rake-heads has means for guiding the prongs into their operating position from their substantially horizontal transport position, the means operating as a result of centrifugal force. The rake-head 1 comprises spokes 4 rotatably mounted on an axle 2 by a hub 3, the spokes 4 being provided with doublespring prongs 10. The hub 3 is rotated on the axle 2 by means of the shaft 5 and gears 6, 7. Each prong is secured to a plate 11 which in turn is welded to a sleeve 12 rotatably mounted on the end of the spokes 4. A sliding shoe 10' is also mounted on the plate 11 to compensate for ground irregularities. Two oppositely disposed recesses 13 are provided in the sleeve 12, each having a part 13' inclined to the rotation axis of the sleeve, and into these, bolts 14 fixed to the spokes 4 engage. To minimise friction, rollers may be mounted on the ends of the bolts 14, or the recesses may be suitably coated. A disc 20 is rotatably mounted on the axle 8 supporting the ground wheel 9, and the axles 2, 8 are connected by a plate 21 containing recesses 22 to vary the displacement between them. A lever 23, displaceably guided in the projection 25, connects the disc 20 to the sleeve 12, and to make an inward movement of the sleeve possible, the lever 23 is provided with a stop 26. Springs 27 connect the plate 11 and the spoke 4. When the rake-head rotates, the sleeves 12 are forced outwardly against the force of the springs 27 by centrifugal force, and during the course of each rotation the prongs 10 are raised at a predetermined point, effected by levers 23. The sleeves 12 are drawn outwardly by these levers due to the eccentric mounting of the disc 20, and the bolts 14 move along the recesses 13, 13' thus causing the rotation of the sleeves 12 on the spokes 4. When the drive is switched off, each sleeve is drawn inwards by the springs 27 and the prongs 10 assume their transport position. In another embodiment, the springs 27 are replaced by a chain connecting the sleeve to a weight pivoted on the spoke, and the rake-head is driven by a V-belt. In a further embodiment, the spokes rotate about the same axle that supports the ground wheel, and the sleeves are adjusted by an eccentric disc, non-rotatably mounted on the axle, having a cam-track in which the levers run. The embodiment of the hay-making machine, Fig. 6, has two of these rake-heads 82, 83 mounted on a transverse support 84, the rake-heads driven by shafts 86, 87 and bevel gears. The angle of the support 84 to the direction of travel can be varied by stay bolts 94, and the space between the rake-heads can be varied by the lockable sleeves 92, 93. A plate 91 assists the formation of swaths.